One local teacher is doing everything she can to maintain relationships with her students and keep learning fun and exciting during these uncertain times.

Tamara Foster, a grade 6/7 teacher at Diamond Vale Elementary, along with her Educational Assistant (EA) Lynne McCormack, wanted to get out and do something engaging with their students while schools are closed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pair came up with the idea of “Connecting through Windshields”, a way of checking on students and involving them in games and learning activities, while still maintaining appropriate social distancing.

“The past three weeks we’ve been Connecting through Windshields,” explained Foster.

“We meet weekly, it’s scheduled into students’ work for the week, to play a classroom game. First week was car hide and seek. The second week was a scavenger hunt in the car involving math and social studies questions. Once the vehicle occupants have their answers, they honk and flash their lights and we give points. Parents appear to be having just as much fun. The third week was a cooperative worksheet with vehicle occupants – they had to start at the same time and honk and flick lights when done, and then the top three cars pulled ahead. We then delivered streamers in a fishing net to those cars and they were timed how fast they could streamer their vehicle” Foster said.

“The top three get prizes, usually something ridiculous like toilet paper, a roll of soap or a ready-made taco dinner. It’s worth the laughs!”

Foster also said that as a teacher who is used to seeing her students in class nearly everyday, it is important to her and her EA that they get to check in on the kids and ensure that they are happy and healthy and doing well during these unprecedented times.

“It was important for us to lay eyes on them physically, not through a screen,” said Foster.

“We have consistently had 16 of the 24 families come out so we’re super impressed with that. Kids are loving it, even if it needs to be carried out through a windshield, they get to see their buddies and we get to see them.”

Foster acknowledges that her EA has played an important role in getting the ball rolling and keeping it rolling, ensuring that students, parents, and educational staff are keeping in touch and still enjoying each other’s company safely.

“EA’s are an integral part of schools and my EA Lynne and I have spent hours dreaming and scheming these games up, she’s usually the brains behind the operation,” said Foster.

“We recognize the importance of keeping these relationships super solid with these kids, especially right now, given the current climate. I’m also teaching digitally but I’m really trying to focus on project-based learning – doing lots outside and moving away from too much tech time. I’m not a big fan of hours spent on a computer and feel like kids get too much of this already. As teachers I think it’s important we steer them in other directions as well.”

Although it is not a perfect solution, and Foster hopes to one day have all of her students back in her classroom in a more normalized environment, the “Connecting through Windshields” will continue as long as organization is possible and the Covid-19 pandemic drags on. Keeping kids safe while learning has been at the top of Foster and McCormack’s list of precautions and concerns.

“Safety and practising social distancing is always our number one priority,” assured Foster.

“These kids matter to us more than ever now that we can’t see them daily. It’s our favourite part of the week.”